Columbine High School shootings | massacre, Littleton, Colorado, United States [1999] | Britannica.com Columbine High School shootings massacre, Littleton, Colorado, United States [1999] Written By: Rosewood riot of 1923 Columbine High School shootings, massacre that occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, leaving 15 dead, including the two students responsible for the attack. It was one of the deadliest school shooting incidents in American history. Three teenagers consoling each other at a vigil service in Denver to honour the victims of the … Laura Rauch/AP The shootings were carried out by Eric Harris, age 18, and Dylan Klebold, age 17. On April 20, 1999, they entered Columbine High School in Jefferson county with semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and several explosives. In less than 20 minutes they killed 12 fellow students and a teacher and wounded 21 others. The violence came to an end when Harris and Klebold took their own lives.

Officials later found two propane tank bombs in the cafeteria; had they detonated, the death toll would have been much higher. News of the Columbine tragedy stunned the country. There was strong criticism of the slow police response. Despite the fact that the shooting ended by noon, police and sheriff’s deputies, believing there was continuing danger, did not move into the shooting area until several more hours had passed, during which time some victims bled to death. In the larger view, the Columbine massacre set off a national debate on how to end gun violence in schools, and a growing number of schools throughout the country invested in private security forces and metal detectors. The official Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office account of the events included this moving coda: While this report establishes a record of the events of April 20, it cannot answer the most fundamental question—WHY? That is, why would two young men, in the spring of their lives, choose to murder faculty members and classmates? The evidence provides no definitive explanation, and the question continues to haunt us all. While our community struggles with that question and grieves those who were lost, we remain united in one hope—that our nation shall never see anything resembling the tragedy at Columbine High School again.

Learn More in these related articles: Columbine High School shootings - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com Columbine High School shootings A+E Networks Introduction On April 20, 1999, two teens went on a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, killing 13 people and wounding more than 20 others before turning their guns on themselves and committing suicide. The crime was the worst high school shooting in U.S. history and prompted a national debate on gun control and school safety, as well as a major investigation to determine what motivated the gunmen, Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17. There was speculation that the two committed the killings because they had been bullied, were members of a group of social outcasts that was fascinated by Goth culture, or had been influenced by violent video games and music; however none of these theories was ever proven. Google Columbine Shootings: April 20, 1999 At approximately 11:19 a.m., Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, dressed in trench coats, began shooting fellow students outside Columbine High School, located in a suburb south of Denver.

The pair then moved inside the school, where they gunned down many of their victims in the library. By approximately 11:35 a.m., Klebold and Harris had killed 12 students and a teacher and wounded more than 20 other people. Shortly after 12 p.m., the two teens turned their guns on themselves. Did You Know? The deadliest school shooting in U.S. history took place on April 16, 2007, when a gunman killed 32 people before killing himself at Virginia Tech, a public university in Blacksburg, Virginia. Investigators later learned Harris and Klebold had arrived in separate cars at Columbine around 11:10 on the morning of the massacre. The two then walked into the school cafeteria, where they placed two duffel bags each containing a 20-pound propane bomb set to explode at 11:17 a.m. The teens then went back outside to their cars to wait for the bombs to go off. When the bombs failed to detonate, Harris and Klebold began their shooting spree.

Columbine Shootings: The Investigation In the days immediately following the shootings, it was speculated that Harris and Klebold purposely chose athletes, minorities and Christians as their victims. It initially was reported that one student, Cassie Bernall, was asked by one of the gunmen if she believed in God. When Bernall allegedly said, “Yes,” she was shot to death. Her parents later wrote a book titled “She Said Yes,” honoring their daughter. However, it later was determined the question was not posed to Bernall but to another student who already had been wounded by a gunshot. When that victim replied, “Yes,” the shooter walked away. Subsequent investigations determined Harris and Klebold chose their victims randomly, and the two teens originally had intended to bomb their school, potentially killing hundreds of people. There was speculation that Harris and Klebold committed the killings because they were members of a group of social outcasts called the Trenchcoat Mafia that was fascinated by Goth culture. It also was speculated that Harris and Klebold had carried out the shootings as retaliation for being bullied. Additionally, violent video games and music were blamed for influencing the killers. However, none of these theories was ever proven.

Through journals left behind by Harris and Klebold, investigators eventually discovered the teens had been planning for a year to bomb the school in an attack similar to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombings. Investigative journalist Dave Cullen, author of the 2009 book “Columbine,” described Harris as “the callously brutal mastermind,” while Klebold was a “quivering depressive who journaled obsessively about love and attended the Columbine prom three days before opening fire.” Columbine Shootings: The Aftermath In the aftermath of the shootings, many schools across America enacted “zero tolerance” rules regarding disruptive behavior and threats of violence from students. Columbine High School reopened in the fall of 1999, but the massacre left a scar on the Littleton community. Mark Manes, the man who sold a gun to Harris and bought him 100 rounds of ammunition the day before the murders, was sentenced to six years in prison. Another man, Philip Duran, who introduced Harris and Klebold to Manes, also was sentenced to prison time. Some victims and families of people killed or injured filed suit against the school and the police; most of these suits were later dismissed in court.

Tags Columbine Massacre - School Shooting of April 20, 1999 Columbine Massacre Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters Thanks, You're in! Health Tip of the Day Recipe of the Day There was an error. Please try again. Please select a newsletter. Please enter a valid email address. Did you mean ? Eric Harris (L) and Dylan Klebold examine a sawed-off shotgun at a makeshift shooting range March 6, 1999 in Douglas County, CO. Picture courtesy the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department via Getty Images. Updated February 03, 2016. On April 20, 1999 , in the small, suburban town of Littleton, Colorado, two high-school seniors, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, enacted an all-out assault on Columbine High School during the middle of the school day. The boys' plan was to kill hundreds of their peers. With guns, knives, and a multitude of bombs, the two boys walked the hallways and killed. When the day was done, twelve students, one teacher, and the two murderers were dead ; plus 21 more were injured. The haunting question remains: why did they do it?

The Boys: Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris were both intelligent, came from solid homes with two parents, and had older brothers who were three years their senior. In elementary school, Klebold and Harris had both played in sports such as baseball and soccer. continue reading below our video Overview of Columbine Massacre Both enjoyed working with computers. The boys met each other while attending Ken Caryl Middle School in 1993. Though Klebold had been born and raised in the Denver area, Harris' father had been in the U.S. Air Force and had moved the family several times before he retired and moved his family to Littleton, Colorado in July 1993. When the two boys entered high school, they found it difficult to fit into any of the cliques.* As is too common in high school, the boys found themselves frequently picked on by athletes and other students. However, Klebold and Harris seemed to spend their time doing normal teenager activities. They worked together in a local pizza parlor, liked to play Doom (a computer game) in the afternoons, and worried about finding a date to the prom. For all outward appearances, the boys looked like normal teenagers.

Looking back, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris obviously weren't your average teenagers. Problems According to journals, notes, and videos that Klebold and Harris left to be discovered, Klebold had been thinking of committing suicide as early as 1997 and they both had begun thinking about a large massacre as early as April 1998 - a full year before the actual event. By then, the two had already run into some trouble. On January 30, 1998, Klebold and Harris were arrested for breaking into a van. As part of their plea agreement, the two began a juvenile diversion program in April 1998. Since they were first-time offenders, this program allowed them to purge the event from their record if they could successfully complete the program. So, for eleven months, the two attended workshops, spoke to counselors, worked on volunteer projects, and convinced everyone that they were sincerely sorry about the break-in. However, during the entire time, Klebold and Harris were making plans for a large-scale massacre at their high school. Hate Klebold and Harris were angry teenagers.

They were not only angry at athletes that made fun of them, or Christians, or blacks, as some people have reported; they basically hated everyone except for a handful of people. On the front page of Harris's journal, he wrote: "I hate the fucking world." Harris also wrote that he hates racists, martial arts experts, and people who brag about their cars. He stated: You know what I hate? Star Wars fans: get a friggin life, you boring geeks. You know what I hate? People who mispronounce words, like 'acrost,' and 'pacific' for 'specific,' and 'expresso' instead of 'espresso.' You know what I hate? People who drive slow in the fast lane, God these people do not know how to drive. You know what I hate? The WB network!!!! Oh Jesus, Mary Mother of God Almighty, I hate that channel with all my heart and soul."1 Both Klebold and Harris were serious about acting out on this hate.

As early as spring 1998, they wrote about killing and retaliation in each other's yearbooks, including an image of a man standing with a gun, surrounded by dead bodies, with the caption, "The only reason your [sic] still alive is because someone has decided to let you live."2 Preparations Klebold and Harris used the Internet to find recipes for pipe bombs and other explosives. They amassed an arsenal, which eventually included guns, knives, and 99 explosive devices. Klebold and Harris wanted to kill as many people as possible, so they studied the influx of students in the cafeteria, noting that there would be over 500 students after 11:15 a.m. when the first lunch period began. They planned to plant propane bombs in the cafeteria timed to explode at 11:17 a.m. and then shoot any survivors as they came running out. There is some discrepancy whether the original date planned for the massacre was to be April 19 or 20. April 19 was the anniversary for the Oklahoma City Bombing and April 20 was the 110th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birthday.

For whatever reason, April 20 was the date finally chosen. * Though some claimed they were part of the Trench Coat Mafia, in truth, they were only friends with some of the group's members. The boys didn't usually wear trench coats to school; they did so only on April 20 to hide the weapons they were carrying as they walked across the parking lot. Setting the Bombs in the Cafeteria At 11:10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris arrived at Columbine High School. Each drove separately and parked in spots in the junior and senior parking lots, flanking the cafeteria. Around 11:14, the boys carried two 20-pound propane bombs (with timers set for 11:17 a.m.) in duffel bags and placed them near tables in the cafeteria. No one noticed them place the bags; the bags blended in with the hundreds of school bags that the other students had brought with them to lunch. The boys then went back to their cars to wait for the explosion. Nothing happened.

(It is believed that if the bombs had exploded, it is probable that all 488 students in the cafeteria would have been killed.) The boys waited a few extra minutes for the cafeteria bombs to explode, but still nothing happened. They realized that something must have gone wrong with the timers. Their original plan had failed, but the boys decided to go into the school anyway. Klebold and Harris Head Into Columbine High School Klebold, wearing cargo pants and a black T-shirt with "Wrath" on the front, was armed with a 9-mm semi-automatic handgun and a 12-gauge double-barrel sawed-off shotgun. Harris, wearing dark-colored pants and a white T-shirt that said "Natural Selection," was armed with a 9-mm carbine rifle and a 12-gauge pump sawed-off shotgun. Both wore black trench coats to hide the weapons they were carrying and utility belts filled with ammunition. Klebold wore a black glove on his left hand; Harris wore a black glove on his right hand. They also carried knives and had a backpack and a duffel bag full of bombs.

At 11:19 a.m., the two pipe bombs that Klebold and Harris had set up in an open field several blocks away exploded; they timed the explosion so that it would be a distraction for police officers. At the same time, Klebold and Harris started firing their first shots at students sitting outside the cafeteria. Almost immediately, 17-year old Rachel Scott was killed and Richard Castaldo was injured. Harris took off his trench coat and both boys kept firing. Not a Senior Prank Unfortunately, many of the other students didn't realize yet what was happening. It was only a few weeks until graduation for the seniors and as is tradition among many U.S. schools, seniors often pull a "senior prank" before they leave. Many of the students believed that the shootings were just a joke - part of a senior prank - so they didn't immediately flee the area. Students Sean Graves, Lance Kirklin and Daniel Rohrbough were just leaving the cafeteria when they saw Klebold and Harris with guns. Unfortunately, they thought the guns were paint ball guns and part of the senior prank. So the three kept walking, heading toward Klebold and Harris. All three are wounded.

Klebold and Harris swiveled their guns to the right and then shot at five students who were eating lunch in the grass. At least two were hit - one was able to run to safety while the other was too debilitated to leave the area. As Klebold and Harris walked, they nearly continually threw small bombs into the area. Klebold then walked down the stairs, toward the injured Graves, Kirklin, and Rohrbough. At close range, Klebold shot Rohrbough and then Kirklin. Rohrbough died instantly; Kirklin survived his wounds. Graves had managed to crawl back down to the cafeteria, but lost strength in the doorway. He pretended to be dead and Klebold walked over him to peer into the cafeteria. The students in the cafeteria started looking out the windows once they heard gunfire and explosions, but they too thought it was either a senior prank or a film being made. A teacher, William "Dave" Sanders, and two custodians realized that this was not just a senior prank and that there was real danger. They tried to get all the students away from the windows and to get down on the floor.

Many of the students evacuated the room by going up the stairs to the second level of the school. Thus, when Klebold peered into the cafeteria, it looked empty. While Klebold was looking into the cafeteria, Harris continued shooting outside. He hit Anne Marie Hochhalter as she was getting up to flee. When Harris and Klebold were back together, they turned to enter the school through the west doors, firing as they went. A policeman arrived on the scene and exchanged fire with Harris, but neither Harris nor the policeman was injured. At 11:25 a.m., Harris and Klebold entered the school. Prev Columbine Massacre (1999) - TRUTHER.ORG: Exposing False-Flag Terror Since 2007 Source: Prison Planet Abstract: There is a great deal of evidence that more were involved than just Harris or Klebold. Among the best evidence are eyewitnesses who saw and recognized other participants in the crime. The below lists contains most of those who saw and were able to name other attackers at Columbine, plus a few more whose descriptions of the shooter(s) cannot possibly be either Harris or Klebold.

The following eyewitnesses identified a 'Robert' or 'Robert Perry' as one of the attackers: 1. Cyrstal Archuleta (EP1-197): "...she did see one person throw a pipe bomb. .....She told me at the time she thought it was Robert Perry." 2. Seth Dubois (EP21-125): "...Seth told Katherine(Carlston) that Robert Perry was seen shooting a girl in the back while leaving the library." 3. Wade Allen Frank (EP1-91): "Mr. Frank told me that he thought origonally one of the individuals(shooting) was someone by the name of Robert..." "He stated that the person was tall, approximately 6'3" and kind of ackward(sic) and gangly." 4. Bryan Frye (EP25-69): "He stated that the person he had previously believed this shooter to be was Robert Perry. .....In a previous interview, after receiving his yearbook, he had told his father that he believed the shooter to be Robert Perry. He also stated that the gunman had bad acne." 5.

Courtney Haulman (EP25-91): "There was three guys. The guy I remember most was the main guy. He's over 6' tall and has long curly dark-colored hair. He was wearing a trench coat. His name is Robert Perry." 6. Lacey Hohn (EP1-186): "...can you identify or descibe who was shooting? ....Ms. Hohn said that she does not believe it was Harris or Klebold. Ms. Hohn believes it was an individual named Robert." 7. Bijen Monty (EP1-110): "I asked her if she saw the source of the shooting. She told me she saw who she thought, at the time, was Robert Perry with a gun hanging around his neck. She said she never actually saw him shoot the weapon. "She asked me if I had any information in regards to Robert Perry.

I informed her I did not." (20063): "During interview with (Jennifer) Falbo, she stated a friend, Bijen Monte, told her on the night of April 20, 199, the she (Monte) was in the cafeteria by the pop machines when this event began at CHS--Monte told Falbo that she saw (Redacted) enter the cafeteria with a 'handful of things.' He then threw these things which caused loud explosios. Monte said (Redacted) was wearing a white t-shirt and unknown pants." "Bijen Monte stated she was outside the commons area eating lunch. Heard shooting and then saw (Redacted) with a gun standing over two downed male victims. Monte picked (Redacted) from a photo lineup." 8. Tessa Nelson (EP1-113): "I asked her if she saw the source of the shots. She said she saw a male, who she thought was Robert Perry, wearing boots, dark jeans with dark hair, walking down the stairs outside the cafeteria. She said the male suspect pulled a gun and started shooting." 9.

Katelyn Sue Place (EP21-285): Kate said, "It was (Redacted). I'm almost positive of it. I remember looking him dead in the eye. He was in my debate class..... . ...Dylan kind of looked like Robert, but Dylan doesn't have the long face. Robert's teeth are messed up and he was smiling and I saw his teeth then. Kate said that she has since seen pictures of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, and she said, "It's not one of them."(Referring to the person she saw shooting out on the outside commons.) "She remembers him shooting Ann Marie(Hochalter). .... Robert was just randomly shooting. ...Robert was still shooting. ....Kate said that Robert shot Ann Marie before he smiled at Kate. ....She looked and saw Jason(Autenrieth) trying to help Ann Marie, dragging her away from Robert, to the side." 10. Lacey Smith (4470): "On the diagram she depicts (Redacted) as walking in through the doors, past where she was sitting, and going in about as far as they north end of the school store.

It was at that time she heard the windows breaking and then realized she was hearing shots. "....she did not have any trouble indentifying PERRY when he walked past her. I asked SMITH how sure she was that the person she saw and spoke with was (Redacted). I asked, "90 percent sure? 50 percent sure?" Her response was "100 percent sure." I then showed SMITH a photo lineup which included a picture of Dylan KLEBOLD, and asked her if the person who walked past her was in the lineup. She stated he was NOT in the lineup. .....As (Redacted) passed her and was near the commons area of the cafeteria, she then explained that (Redacted) pulled a weapon out from under his trench coat and started firing into the cafeteria. 11.

Brenton Hooker (16397): "....he turned around and observed an individual he thought was ROBERT PERRY(ex-student of Columbine High School) standing outside the door just to the north of the main entrance shooting a pistol in his direction...." ....HOOKER described the individual he thought was PERRY as 6'8" - 6'11" in height, very skinny, tight black pants, black trench coat..." 12. Tyler Chenoweth (1830): "A student named Jen Smull saw through the (science classroom)door during the incident and said that the tall suspect had curly hair and was the student who came to a Halloween party as a warlock. He thought of Robert Perry based on that description." The following eyewitnesses identified a (Redacted) as being the shooter, with the description fitting Perry's: 13. Tiffany Lien (968): "Lien stated she believed gunman number one was (Redacted)....

...Lien stated that she was approximately twenty to twenty-five feet away from gunman number one and looked at him face to face for approximately 25 seconds, frozen in her tracks." Tall male had long black trench coat, black jeans, dark brown hair. His hair was kind of long and had curls. He was skinny and his shoulders kind of hunched over. ...She also stated that the gunman had bad acne. 14. Kristen Long (20245): "Long said suspect definitely had dark hair and a large nose, thought it might be (Redacted)." 15. Rusty Shyler (5464): "The individual was very tall. ...Shyler saw his face partially and thought based upon his dress and size that it may have been (Redacted). He was a hundred percent sure it was (Redacted). He described (Redacted) as being 6'6" to 6'7" tall and having lots of zits." 16. Chris Thierren (1207): Saw a tall shooter with acne, large nose, shoulder-length hair.

"He stated that the picture he saw was of (Redacted) and he was 'pretty sure' he was the shooter he saw that morning at CHS." 17. Erin Walton (4139): "Erin Walton said she knew one of the shooters, and that he not one of (the) two Eric and Dylan. ...he was a senior named (Redacted). and he was very tall, had bad acne scars on his cheeks.... " The following witnesses did not identify the shooter, but the descriptions fits Perry's: 18. Pat Caruso (2683 and EP17-13): "Thought the suspect looked like a trench coat student he has seen before who had bad acne, ....curly long dark brown hair, wearing black trenchcoat.... and a tie-dyed shirt, pink or yellow." 19. Justin Norman (3929): "Upon the hill we saw a tall guy with blond hair, acne, big nose and buck teeth....

the guy had a handgun and he shot one kid in the ankle and another who didn't move." (Note: Accoding to Norman in a later interview, this was Klebold, though the description is more indicative of Perry.) 20. Joanathan Ballard (1765): "One of the (trenchcoated)kids(who was walking the halls during the shooting-implied to be a shooter) was about 6'5" or 6'6",.... I later saw on channel 4 or 9 news, I'm almost positive, that same man or teen, on t.v., acting all worried." (Note: this can't be Harris or Klebold, as they died in the shooting.) 21. Nathan Anema (2359): "....Anema identified (Redacted) as possibly being the person he saw throw a pipe bomb during the shooting at Columbine High School on 4-20-99. ...Anema stated that he initially thought the person that he saw throwing the pipe bomb was (Redacted)." 22. Katie Beer (6636): "....

when the incident began at Columbine High School, she initially tried to get out of the school by going toward the main doors on the east side of the school by the administrative offices, however, she said she saw a third shooter next to these offices and that this third shooter shot out windows at that location. ...Katy Beer told him this third shooter may have been (Redacted)." 23. Jason Brehm (719): One of the shooters had a very round face, shorter than 5'11". Not Harris or Klebold. 24. Leanne Clark (1422): "...Clark told her that she saw who did the shooting in the cafeteria, and that Clark identified (Redacted) as a gunman." 25. John Cook (756): A couple of weeks after the massacre, "Cook said he believed he could ID both of the suspects if he saw photos of them again." Since everybody had seen the photos of H&K in the media, and knew they had died in the incident, Cook is clearly not talking about Eric or Dylan here. 26.

Frank DeAngelis, School Principle (8018): "I also assisted the principle of Columbine, who was having hard time giving the pictures of possible suspects to the command post and was present when he looked at and identified one of the suspects he was named.(sic) The male suspect was in the custody of, I believe, Jefferson Co. Sheriff's investigators." 27. David Eagle (1878 ): "The guy with the gun had black hair looked like it was spiked shaved on the sides.(sic) It was also blond on top. 5'9", about 18 years old. "He has since seen pictures of Harris and Klebold on television. ...David said that the person he saw did not look like the people he's seen on television." 28. Ashley Egelund (22671): "Ashley was in north corridor when she observed (Redacted) and Eric Harris coming around the corner from the library.... She said Chris Morris was armed with a handgun while Harris was armed with a shotgun.(5248 ) ....both started shooting at Ashley....

Ashley did not know (Redacted) at first but she saw his picture in the yearbook and is positive it was (Redacted). "... No photo lineup per Investigator Battan." 29. Amy Evans (22205): "....Amy Evans said there was a third shooter and it was (Redacted)." 30. Joel Hatfield (19277): "Joel Hatfield interviewed 4-29-99. Saw one shooter with excellent description of dress, physical, guns and movement. Could ID in lineup if needed." Once again, this cannot be H or K, as everybody was aware that H&K were in no position to stand in a lineup! 31. Mark Hengel (5901): "Hengel identified Klebold and (Redacted) from the photograph in the attached 1A envelope....

Also attached is a 1A envelope is a diagram of Columbine High School indicating the diection of Hengel and the two individuals dressed in black." Apparently the interviewing officer didn't like what he was hearing, and so the interviewer ends up telling the eyewitness what he saw: "I then advised Mark Hengel that the skinny person he saw standing and shooting was Dylan Klebold and the person he saw standing over the duffel bag was Eric Harris." 32. AnneMarie Hochalter (18218): Gunshot victim outside the cafeteria. "Advised that Harris/Klebold did not shoot her. .... Has ID on shooters." 33. Leigh Kamens (1422): While in the 'green room' off of the science hall, she identified (Redacted) as one of the gunmen. 34. Tim Kastle (3416): "As far as I know the suspects are Dylan Klebold, Eric Harris, (Redacted) and I think there might have been two others." 35.

Alicia Maes (3614): "Alicia stated that when she first observed the male in the black trench coat, she thought it was a person known to her as (Redacted)." 36. Lucas Milne: "Saw (Redacted) in commons at 11am in a black trenchcoat and knows (Redacted). States that Dan Goin and Brandon Little and Bijen Monte saw (Redacted) shooting at school. Milne picked out (Redacted) in photo lineup. 37. Leiha Murphy (3828): In the cafeteria, notices commotion outside north-west door. "I saw a guy I recognized as (Redacted). He was running... Stair had his blond hair down. It's past his shoulders. He's about 6', tall, skinny, he was wearing a long black trench coat.... I saw nothing in his hands. He was observed a short distance from whatever was going on at the door. My thought was that (Redacted) was involved if there was a fight." Stair named in the cafeteria map (see page 3830). Leiha also immediately picked him out of a photo lineup.

"I ask Leiha if she was certain that this individual was (Redacted). Leiha said "Oh yeah, I'm certain.... I saw his face full on. I remember seeing his face completely....(she said he stood in place for about 15 seconds)....I remember him graduating last year." She remembers him wearing 'makeup on his face and hand' and that because of that, he stood out from other students." (3836) Also, at least four ear- witnesses heard the suspects refer to one of their number as "Joe".(Encinas, 2943, Herivel, 1927, McKenna, 3525, and Salazar, EP21-224) 38. Mark Opfer (1064): "At the time, Opfer believed the taller person in the black tenchcoat who with(sic) the shooter was (Redacted)....." (25625) "CHS student Mark Opfer was interviewed on 4-27-99...

In that interview Opfer stated that he believed (Redacted, wearing a trench coat) was standing next to a gunman and was involved in the shooting." 39. Josh Ortwein (1939): "...Josh Ortwein witnessed the shooting and he was telling everyone he saw (Redacted) shooting a gun." 40. Bree Pasquale (18018): Library eyewitness, was made to beg for her life. Says the gunman lived down the street from her and played the character "Morgan" in a school play. She knew him, and he knew her. Definitely not H or K! "...she believed the individual with the 'pipe bomb'(outside) was a former student of Columbine High School."(526) 41. Jessica Rusch (2143): "...she identified one of the gunmen at the Columbine High School as being an individual known as (Redacted)." 42. Cara Sander (EP25-203): Describes gunman as pudgy, overweight, very full face, thick bushy eyebrows. IDs him as (Redacted), who is heavy-set with a round face, short dark hair and dark eyebrows.

A copy of the CHS yearbook page with Brian Sargent's photo is included in her interview. [John Ungerland(1701) says Brian Sargent has a round chubby face and is a big guy with bushy eyebrows. He saw him that morning at school; Sargent was wearing a short sleeve white button-up shirt-a polo type.] 43. Mindy Pollock (10009): Sees one gunman outside west entrance, holding a gun on the fence. ...Dressed in a "white dress-type shirt", short brown hair, with a "little bit of a gut". "POLLOCK stated she recognized the lower, #1 gunman as (Redacted)."(1095) 44. Trent Karnes (912): Says one suspect... had on a white dress shirt or a white sleeve shirt, he was holding a rifle on fence, shooting at people outside of cafeteria. [Note: Officially, both H&K were wearing T-shirts during the assault.] 45.

Jen Smull(2182): In science hall, sees Klebold and an older suspect, 25-30, blond with short, spiky, buzz-cut hair. 46. Valeen Schnurr (18696): Gunshot victim in library. "Per Valeen's mother, Shari Schnurr, Valeen possibly identified her shooter as (Redacted)." (8798 ) "Valeen indicated she keeps seeing the face of (Redacted)" 47. Jennifer Tindall (1226): "....insisted that neither suspect she saw was Eric Harris or Dylan Klebold. ...Tindall picked out (Redacted) photograph as possibly being the male in the black trench coat." 48. Adam Thompson (21039): "....he had seen a gunman shooting inside the school. Does not think it is the same as gunmen in the media." 49. John Vandemark (2216): In the science hall, sees older shooter with dark hair, spiky with blond tips. 50.

Erin Walton (2243): In th science hall, sees suspect with short blond hair-"like he was going bald"-older, in his 30s. 51. Emily Wyant (641): A week after 4-20, says to the interviewing officer "...she would recognize them again if she saw them again." 52. Chris Wisher (9832): "....he recognized one of the shooters--the other shooter was the kid wearing black that was arrested and placed in cuffs and put inside a black police car. He said that he is 100% positive that he was the male that shot at him." (EP6-265) "Thought he recognized Chris Morris as being one of the shooters.... ...on the west side of the cafeteria." 53. Aaron Welsh (610): Can ID both suspects(on 4-22). 54. Terry Lawson (10020): ID other than Harris and Klebold. 55. Monica Schuster (19470): "Schuster saw gunman but did not believe it was Harris and Klebold." 56.

Lisa Forgen (3005): She sees 2 shooters, and tells IOs that she could identify them if she had photos. Interview given days after 4-20; the implication is that they were not Harris and Klebold. (2+2=4) 57. Arthur Curtis (19444): Saw two shooters, can ID them. (interview given on 4-28-99, the implication once again is that they were not Harris and Klebold) 58. Kacey Ruegsegger (128): "Ruegsegger did not recognize the pictures of Harris and Klebold she has seen in the media as the gunmen in the library." 59. Sean Graves (ACSO 633): "...saw guy with coat and gun standing by (Redacted)--saw his face and he wasn't one of the suspects." 60. (DRMN 5-14-99): "...people have reported that they saw others carry stuff into the building" (Prison Planet, 2009) .

POWERED BY Columbine High School massacre - Apr 20, 1999 - HISTORY.com Columbine High School massacre Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 1999, two teenage gunmen kill 13 people in a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, south of Denver. At approximately 11:19 a.m., Dylan Klebold, 18, and Eric Harris, 17, dressed in trench coats, began shooting students outside the school before moving inside to continue their rampage. By 11:35 a.m., Klebold and Harris had killed 12 fellow students and a teacher and wounded another 23 people. Shortly after noon, the two teens turned their guns on themselves and committed suicide. The crime was the worst school shooting in U.S. history (until 33 people, including the gunman, were killed in the Virginia Tech shooting on April 16, 2007)and prompted a national debate on gun control and school safety, as well as a major investigation to determine what motivated the teen gunmen.

In the days immediately following the shootings, it was speculated that Klebold and Harris purposely chose jocks, minorities and Christians as their victims. It was initially reported that one student, Cassie Bernall, was allegedly asked by one of the gunmen if she believed in God. When Bernall said, “Yes,” she was shot to death. Her parents later wrote a book titled “She Said Yes,” honoring their martyred daughter. Apparently, however, the question was not actually posed to Bernall but to another student who had already been wounded by a gunshot. When that victim replied, “Yes,” the shooter walked away. Subsequent investigations also determined that Harris and Klebold chose their victims randomly. Their original plan was for two propane bombs to explode in the school’s cafeteria, potentially killing hundreds of people and forcing the survivors outside and into the gunmen’s line of fire. When the bombs didn’t work, Harris and Klebold went into the school to carry out their murderous rampage. There was speculation that Harris and Klebold committed the killings because they were members of a group of social outcasts called the “Trenchcoat Mafia” that was fascinated by Goth culture. Violent video games and music were also blamed for influencing the killers.

However, none of these theories was ever proven. Columbine High School reopened in the fall of 1999, but the massacre left a scar on the Littleton community. Mark Manes, the man who sold a gun to Harris and bought him 100 rounds of ammunition the day before the murders, was sentenced to six years in prison. In the aftermath of the Columbine shootings, many schools enacted “zero tolerance” rules regarding disruptive behavior and threats of violence from students. Related Videos 1999 : Aftermath of the Columbine High shootings Members of the Trenchcoat Mafia speak out, denying close association with the shooters and extending heartfelt sympathies. April 21, 1999 -- Bomb squads thoroughly searched Columbine High School for explosives . By 8:30 AM the official death toll was released: 15 dead. The bomb squad declared the building safe for officials to enter and at 11:30 AM a sheriff's spokesman told anxious news crews and their viewing audience, "The investigation is under way." 13 bodies were still in the school when investigators began photographing the school building.

Clement Park, just north of Columbine, became the unofficial gathering place for mourners. The Colorado Avalanche cancelled the first of two playoff games and the NRA announced a scaled-back program for its convention to be held the following week in Denver. At 2:30 PM a press conference was held by Jefferson County District Attorney David Thomas and Sheriff John Stone. They said they suspected others had helped the killers plan the shooting. Formal identifications of the dead had not taken place yet, but families of students who were thought to have been killed were notified of this probability. The bodies were removed from the school through the afternoon and late evening, taken to the Jefferson County Coroner's Office to be identified and autopsied. When the shooters' bodies were brought out of the school, an unseasonable blizzard began though the day had started warm and sunny. By 5:00 PM the identities of the dead were becoming known. April 22, 1999 -- Officials found a 20-pound propane-tank bomb left by the shooters in Columbine's kitchen. April 23, 1999 -- John Tomlin's funeral was held in his hometown of Waterford, Wisconsin, in Saint Peters Cemetery.

April 24, 1999 -- Rachel Scott's funeral was broadcast by CNN, and became the most watched event in CNN's history. April 25, 1999 -- Funerals for Kelly Fleming and Daniel Mauser were held together at the St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church. An official memorial was held at West Bowles Shopping Center with Vice President Al Gore, Governor Bill Owens, Principle Frank DeAngelis, artists Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith. It was attended by 70,000 people. April 26, 1999 -- Funerals were held for Cassie Bernall, William "Dave" Sanders, and Lauren Townsend. Officials learned that three of the four guns used in the massacre at Columbine were bought by Dylan's friend, Robyn Anderson, shortly after her 18th birthday. Brooks Brown 1 week after the shootings.April 27, 1999 -- Kyle Velasquez's funeral; Matt Kechter's funeral. April 29, 1999 -- Isaiah Shoels's funeral.

April 30, 1999 -- High-ranking members of Jefferson County and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office met to decide whether they should reveal that investigator Michael Guerra knew of Eric's threatening website two years before the Columbine shootings occurred. They decided keep the information confidential and said nothing about it at the press conference held April 30th, nor did they make it public in any other way at the time. That same day Brian Rohrbough, father of victim Daniel Rohrbough (who died outside Columbine), took down 2 of 15 wooden crosses made by carpenter Greg Zanis to honor those who had died at the school -- 13 for the students and teacher who were shot and 2 more for the gunmen who committed suicide. The 6' tall crosses had been erected in Clement Park on Rebel Hill, a park that would later play host to several thousand makeshift memorials for those who died. "I don't think any thinking person in this country is going to disagree with me," he said afterward. "We never, ever honor a murderer in the same place as the memorial for his victims." Brooks Brown and mother Judy go on the Oprah show to explain their position in the wake of the shootings.

Nathan "Nate" Dykeman, friend of Dylan and Eric's, tells 20/20 about the shooters. May 2, 1999 -- Student memorial was held at Red Rocks Amphitheater. May 3, 1999 -- Columbine students returned to school, attending Chatfield High School. The school day was divided: Chatfield students used the school in the morning, Columbine students used the school in the afternoon. Mark E. Manes, 22, surrendered to Jefferson County authorities on felony charges of selling a handgun to a minor. He admitted to selling the TEC-DC9 to the Columbine shooters. May 20, 1999 -- President Bill and first lady Hillary Clinton met with the Columbine victims and their families. A one-month anniversary memorial at Dakota Ridge High School was held and attended by 2,200 people. That same day a 15-year-old shot of six students in Conyers, Georgia, at Heritage High School.

May 21, 1999 -- Brooks Brown and his mother Judy Brown appear on a special episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show (episode 13E99) to tell their side of things. Lance Kirklin attends a press conference at the Swedish Hospital. Columbine victim Richard Castaldo interviews from the hospital several months after the shootings. Patrick Ireland undergoes intensive therapy. Mark Taylor and mom in his room filled with cards from well-wishers. (Left to right) Jeanna Park, Valeen Schnurr, and Lisa Kreutz: All survived the Columbine shooting and went on to graduate from the school in May 1999. May 22, 1999 -- Columbine High School Graduation day: Lauren Townsend and Isaiah Shoels would have graduated. Survivors Jeanna Park, Lisa Kreutz, and Valeen Schnurr received their diplomas. May 26, 1999 -- Violent video games were pulled from an arcade at Denver International Airport. May 27, 1999 -- A $250 million wrongful-death lawsuit was filed by the family of Isaiah Shoels against the parents of the gunmen.

May 28, 1999 -- The autopsy reports of the dead were ordered sealed by Jefferson County District Court Judge Henry Nieto. June 1, 1999 -- Students returned to Columbine to retrieve their things that were left behind during the attack. Brothers Jonathan and Stephen Cohen write and perform a tribute song: 'Friend of Mine' for the victims of the tragedy. June 2, 1999 -- Parents of Dylan Klebold sent letters to the families of the victims. June 3, 1999 -- Renovations began on Columbine High so classes could resume in August. Most of the work was done by volunteers. June 4, 1999 -- Robyn Anderson admitted to buying the two shotguns and the 9mm carbine rifle from a Denver gun show in November 1998. June 16, 1999 -- Authorities announced that the surveillance videotape recorded from Columbine High's cafeteria on April 20 discredited the rumor of a third gunman - only two appeared on the tape: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

June 17, 1999 -- Prosecutors filed charges against Philip Joseph Duran, 22. He was charged with unlawfully providing a handgun to minors. Philip worked at Blackjack Pizza alongside Dylan and Eric and introduced them to Mark Manes. July 2, 1999 -- The Healing Fund announced its plans to distribute the money it had collected so far. Ballistics tests confirmed that "friendly fire" from police officers did not harm anyone at Columbine. July 20, 1999 -- Columbine students and families returned to the school to decorate memorial tiles. No religious iconry is allowed, nor is anything that might be considered controversial, violent, or hateful as the tiles are to be displayed in the school. August 16, 1999 -- Columbine High School, newly remodeled, reopened its doors four months after the shootings. 2,000 students showed up for class , shielded from the media by a long line of parents and teachers who lined the sidewalk that led to the school. Students attended a "take back the school rally" before classes began. After the rally, the American flag that had stood at half-mast since the shootings was raised and school started.

Columbine hosted a "Take Back the School" rally to build confidence and spirit in the returning students. August 18, 1999 -- Three swastikas were found etched on the inside and outside of Columbine High School. They were roughly an inch big - one was scratched into a brick wall and two were found inside a girls' bathroom. Also, Mark Manes, who sold the TEC-DC9 to the shooters, pleaded guilty to providing a handgun to a minor and illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun. Sean Graves recovers at home with his family. Sean Graves attends a press conference. The repairs are finished and the school waits for students to return. The first student returns to Columbine, welcomed by a human chain of volunteers who helped with the restoration and rallies. Cutting the ribbon at the re-opening of Columbine High, fall 1999. Students return to the renovated school. Patrick Ireland joins other students on the first day back to Columbine. Students enter Columbine High School. August 20, 1999 -- Richard Castaldo was released from Craig Hospital to go home. He was the last of the survivors to leave the hospital.

August 31, 1999 -- The Healing Fund accepted its last donations, bringing the total received to $4.4 million. September 1, 1999 -- Security tightened at schools in Jefferson County after five high schools received a series of anonymous threatening letters. September 10, 1999 -- Dave Sanders Memorial Softball Field was dedicated before the Columbine Rebel girl's softball team's first game of the season. September 22, 1999 -- Salon.com published excerpts from Eric's journals. September 24, 1999 -- Jefferson County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Davis said it was unlikely that Cassie Bernall was ever asked by the gunmen whether she believed in God before they shot her. This announcement came shortly after Misty Bernall, Cassie's mother, published the book "She Said Yes, the Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall." Patrick Ireland was named homecoming king of Columbine High School.

September 26, 1999 -- Parents and friends of victims Daniel Rohrbough and Kyle Velasquez marched to Littleton's West Bowles Community Church to chop down 2 of 15 trees the church planted to acknowledge the pain that all of the affected families were feeling. September 29, 1999 -- A 14-member Columbine Review Commission was created by Governor Bill Owens to study the tragedy and make recommendations with the hope of preventing other similar school shootings. Robyn K. Anderson, friend of Dylan's, purchased two shotguns and a 9mm rifle for the shooters, which were later used in the assault. No formal charges were brought against her as she testified that she didn't know that they would be used in a murder spree when she gave them to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold . Mark Manes was arrested for selling a TEC-DC9 semi-automatic handgun to the shooters (for $500). He was sentenced to six years in prison, four months after the shootings. He served about 19 months before he was released to a halfway house. He was released in 2002 under electronic monitor and been denied parole three times.

Philip Duran, a graduate of Columbine who worked at Blackjack Pizza with Dylan and Eric, intro'd the shooters to Mark so they could get the gun. His younger siblings were at in the school during the shootings. He later pleaded guilty to charges for doing just that and willingly accepted a 4 1/2 year prison sentence in 2000. He was parolled after 3 1/2 years. Chris Morris: friend of shooters , a fellow classmate at Columbine and a co-worker of theirs at Blackjack Pizza. He was handcuffed at the scene and detained for questioning. He was later released. Very vocal about his hate of Columbine before the incident occurred, Chris was a member of the Trenchcoat Mafia - perhaps the only person involved who was. October 1, 1999 -- A Celine Dion concert in Denver provided front row seats and back stage passes to Columbine students. The concert raised $500,000 dollars for the victims. October 4, 1999 -- The families of Kelly Fleming and Daniel Rohrbough filed a federal lawsuit against the school district for removing from Columbine the memorial tiles they painted on July 20.

The reason the tiles were removed: They were painted with religious themes, which the rules that were issued on the day of the painting forbade (no controversial subjects or anything that might make returning students uncomfortable). Craig Scott (brother of Rachel and a survivor from the library) and Michael Shoels (father of Isaiah Shoels , who was also Scott's friend) appear on the Today Show. Craig went back to Columbine when fall 1999 classes started but quit again after going only once in the first 2 weeks. October 12, 1999 -- CBS Evening News with Dan Rather aired a portion of the surveillance videotape from the Columbine cafeteria. October 17, 1999 -- The families of 20 Columbine students - including the Klebolds - filed notices of intent to sue the sheriff's department and/or the school district because of the massacre. October 19, 1999 -- The evening before the six month 'anniversary' of the shootings, a 17-year-old Columbine student was arrested on suspicion of threatening to "finish the job".

October 20, 1999 -- Six month 'anniversary' of the shootings of April 20th. A quarter of the students at Columbine High miss school that day; another quarter go home early. October 22, 1999 -- Carla June Hochhalter, mother of surviving victim Anne Marie Hochhalter went into an Englewood pawn shop, bought a gun and shot herself there in the shop. She had been diagnosed with depression before the shootings and the stress of having a daughter paralyzed by the attack on Columbine pushed her over the edge. October 25, 1999 -- Wayne and Kathy Harris, parents of shooter Eric Harris, finally agreed to meet with investigators. November 12, 1999 -- Mark Manes was sentenced to six years in prison for selling the TEC-DC9 to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. November 19, 1999 -- Garlin Newton completes a 700-mile Oklahoma City-to-Columbine walk with a cross in hopes of reviving prayer in school.

His arrival was not well received, though Darryl Scott later mentions him with respect in his religious reach-out efforts that his daughter's death inspired. December 4, 1999 -- Columbine High School won the Colorado State Varsity Football title, defeating Cherry Creek High. Patrick Ireland and the rest of Columbine celebrate their 1999 championship win. Columbine celebrates its championship win. Matt Kechter's younger brother Adam, then 13, accepts the trophy in his brother's honor when the Columbine Rebels win the 1999 championship. Matt used to play lineman for the football team. When he died the team 'adopted' Adam into their fold. Columbine High School cheerleaders. Richard Castaldo is back in the school band but after 4 months and 7 operations, still doesn't have the finger coordination to play his saxophone. He's taken up percussion instead. Brooks Brown in December 1999. December 13, 1999 -- Families of the victims of the shootings were allowed to see some of the videos Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris made over the last weeks before the shootings.

December 15, 1999 -- Columbine student Erin Walton received a threat telling him not to go to school the next day via the Internet from "Soup81" (Michael Ian Campbell) who lived in Cape Coral, Florida at the time. December 16, 1999 -- Columbine High School was closed due to the previous day's threat, ending the semester two days earlier than it should have. December 17, 1999 -- FBI agents arrested Michael Campbell at his home. December 20, 1999 -- Time magazine released an issue featuring the videos that would become known as the "Basement Tapes", videos made by the shooters that contained controversial subject matter. The families of the victims had not yet seen those tapes, and had been informed that they would be the first to see them. Hostilities ensued and the tapes were ordered sealed. December 22, 1999 -- Michael Campbell appeared in federal court and apologized for the threat he made on December 15. Eric and Dylan on the covers of Time magazine. The first 2 are the same issue, with cover differences. Perhaps the first is the pre-print proof? Don't know for sure.

The second is the magazine that contained coverage of the Basement Tapes. Columbine High School Shootings Fast Facts - CNN.com Columbine High School Shootings Fast Facts CNN Library Updated 5:35 PM ET, Thu May 26, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. A woman known only as Golden Eagle pray's next to one of the thirteen original crosses April 20, 2004 that was built and placed in Clements Park next to Columbine High School after the shooting on April 20, 1999. (CNN) Here is some background information about the deaths of 13 people at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, on April 20, 1999. Facts: Twelve students and one teacher were killed by students Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18. The pair made home videos prior to the attack making references to what they were going to do and apologizing to their parents for it.

Harris and Klebold killed themselves with gunshot wounds to the head in the school's library at approximately 12:08pm on the day of the shootings. SWAT teams entered the school 47 minutes after the shootings started. Five hours passed before law enforcement declared the school under control. Read More The Columbine shootings rank as one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history as well as one of the deadliest episodes of school violence . Victims: Kyle Valasquez, 16 Timeline: January 1998 - Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are arrested after stealing items from a van. After pleading guilty, they are sent to a juvenile diversion program. April 20, 1999 - At approximately 11:19am, two students, Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, carrying guns and bombs, open fire inside Columbine High School, killing 13 and wounding 23 others before killing themselves. November 12, 1999 - Mark Manes is sentenced to six years in prison for selling a gun used in the murders to minors Harris and Klebold.

April 2001 - Close to three dozen families of Columbine victims settle suits with the parents of the suspects and gun suppliers. The settlement totals close to $2.5 million. The Harris' and Klebold's homeowners insurance will pay a large part and the rest will come from insurance company payments on behalf of the gun suppliers. The family of victim Isaiah Shoels does not accept the settlement. August 20, 2002 - The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office settles with the daughter of teacher Dave Sanders for $1.5 million. June 2003 - Judge Robert Blackburn orders the family of Isaiah Shoels to accept a $366,000 settlement in the lawsuit against the gunmen's families. August 12, 2003 - The families of victims Daniel Rohrbough, Kelly Fleming, Matt Kechter, Lauren Townsend, and Kyle Velasquez settle a wrongful death lawsuit against parents Susan and Thomas Klebold and Wayne and Katherine Harris, in which the victims' families claim that the suspects' parents should have known what their sons were up to before the shootings. The terms of the settlement have not been released.

October 22, 2003 - Home video of the two suspects is released by authorities. In the video, made six weeks before the murders, the suspects are seen in a forested area shooting at bowling pins. February 26, 2004 - Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar releases an investigative report about the attack. Authorities also release thousands of pages of documents and physical evidence. September 21, 2007 - The Columbine Memorial, adjacent to Columbine High School, is dedicated and opened to the public. FBI — Columbine High School Vault Home • Columbine High School Info Columbine High School On April 20, 1999, Eric Davis Harris (1981-1999) and Dylan Bennet Klebold (1981-1999) killed 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado before committing suicide. The tragedy sparked national debates about school safety. The FBI assisted local law enforcement by investigating additional threats and Internet leads, conducting witness interviews, and processing physical evidence.

The FBI’s file details the initial investigation and contains witness interviews between April 21, 1999 and May 5, 1999.

Question: In which state was the 1999 massacre at Columbine High?
Answer: Colorado